Film 1000: Boogie Nights

I am an avid user of the app Letterboxd, potentially even addicted. Sometimes it feels like the film is just a vessel to rate films, to see that film tally go up and that bar chart grow. There is something so satisfying in logging a film and comparing it to what your friends and other users rated it. Recently, I reached film 999 on the app and thought it was only right I did something special for film number 1000. I thought about what film I wanted it to be: new or classic, underground or widely praised. I scoured my watchlist (another great feature of LetterBoxd may I add) and settled on one film: Boogie Nights. Ever since Licorice Pizza I have been checking out Paul Thomas Anderson’s (PTA for short) work, a back catalogue I had always heard great things about but had neglected up until this point. I loved the 70’s aesthetic of that film so when I heard that one of his most celebrated films is a deep dive on the adult entertainment industry set in the backdrop of the San Fernando valley in the 70’s I knew I had found my film. So, I bought it on DVD (told you it was a special occasion!), popped it on and settled back.

From the introduction to this film, I knew I was in for a treat, this film is so fun. The establishing shot in the club has so much attention to detail and looks stunning. The camera movement following and finding the main characters in one continuous shot looks so great and, set to a disco soundtrack, feels so alive. This sets the standard for the rest of the film, it can be the case that a movie has such a brilliant opening shot that the rest of the film cannot live up to it, Spectre I am looking at you. Boogie Nights is no such film. The expectations established in the first shot are surpassed. The camera work throughout is dynamic and the soundtrack remains excellent throughout. Music is such an important part of this film and there are some of the best needle drops in cinema in this film; the drug deal scene alone has at least three.

This film has a slow build but benefits all the best from it. The scene of the San Fernando Valley is set wonderfully and looks gorgeous. Momentum is gained slowly but you always feel like it is purposeful, no scene feels like it has been put in unnecessarily or dragged out too long. There is constant momentum that builds until it explodes with the birth of Dirk Diggler. What makes the rise of Dirk so engrossing is how much you are rooting for him. Mark Wahlberg plays the character so well; you cannot help but feel sorry for the boy at the start that is torn to shreds by his own mother. When things start going well for him and he finds his craft, the feel-good factor is palpable. PTA handles the character and the subject matter with such care that he finds heart in a world you would not typically expect it. The subject matter is purposeful and well-handled rather than gratuitous, a testament to PTA’s talent for writing and directing and the care he put into his movie. This is not some half-baked film about a controversial subject matter just to be edgy (ala Spring Breakers), there is actual substance and reason for the deep dive into the adult film industry.

There are so many incredible scenes in this film. One that stands out is the new year’s party. Similarly, to the opening in the nightclub, this is a continuous flowing shot that helps breathe life into the party scene. It happens at such a breakneck speed, especially after Dick tries cocaine for the first time, constantly gaining momentum, jumping from one situation to the next, barely giving you time to process. It all culminating in William H Macy’s character shooting his wife and then himself breaks the tension so effectively and closes the scene perfectly. The shift in tone after this moment is noticeable. Things take a sharp turn for the worse after this moment, Dirk’s descent is set into play here by his drug addiction. The increased hard drug usage and jealousy over Jack bringing in a younger performer leads to a breaking point and that wonderful, semi-improvised, argument that spells the end of Dirk. Across all characters it starts to go wrong With Dirk's spiral culminating in that nerve wracking drug deal scam scene. That scene is breathe-taking in how well it is executed. The firecrackers have the viewer just as on edge as the characters. The coked-out maniac singing and smoking crack cocaine with a bodyguard strapped with an Uzi standing menacingly to the side really build the dread and nervousness that are so evident in the protagonists. The close up on Dirk’s face when he realises, he has reached rock bottom is such a powerful shot. With all this chaos going on around him, Wahlberg conveys so much emotion with just his face in such a powerful way. The breaking point just after that wonderful needle drop is the icing on the cake.

The music in this film is selected so well. Each song perfectly encapsulates the scene it is portraying, reflecting the mood of the scene effortlessly. The montage set to ‘God only knows’ is such a heart-warming follow up to the dark and gritty tone of the second half. It really sums up the message of this film for me. The main characters realise the world they had built is where they were most happy. Dirk wants to be successful and find acceptance from a role model figure after his mother’s rejection. Therefore, Jack finding the younger actor hurt him so much. Amber loss contact with her family due to her career choice and drug problems, hence why she has such a strong, motherly (and weird) relationship with Dirk and Roller Girl. Roller Girl just wants acceptance. Frank just wants to make films with care, it just happens that these films are adult themed, shown by his disillusionment with the industry when it moves digital, and profit focussed. Buck is restricted from following his dreams due to society’s attitude towards those in the industry. Although his character is often played for laughs, his success is heart-warming, that’s how strongly written these characters are. A special mention must go to Reed, combining his love for magic and nudity as only he could.

This film was such a great watch. It was funny, disturbing, upsetting, horrifying and ultimately, wholesome… not what I expected from a movie about a cocaine riddled deep dive into the adult entertainment industry… Not a bad way to mark my 1,000th film, eh?

If you want to find me on LettrBoxd you can follow the link below:

https://letterboxd.com/AidanCT/